Greening Austin Daily

Wildflowers in Peak Season

6th May, 2010 - Posted by katherine - No Comments

Last weekend I went to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center with my parents.  If you’ve never been before, now is a great time to visit – there are tons of wildflowers in bloom and it’s not super hot outside yet.  The Wildflower Center is off of Mopac, fairly far South, so it can be a bit of a drive if you live in North Austin, but it’s well worth the trip and a good group activity.  Before last weekend, I had only been to the Wildflower Center in December, so it was very different to see it in April. Tickets are normally $8, ($7 for seniors, $5 for children 5-12, and free for children under 5) but when I went with my parents last Friday, it was free for some reason.

Here’s some pictures I took:

(a very informative display of common wildflowers in bloom now in Austin)

(A lot of the plants inside the courtyard area had descriptions, which was very helpful)

Some of the beautiful flowers growing naturally along the trails:

bluebonnets

more bluebonnets

Indian paintbrush (I think)

(not sure what this is)

winecup

some false foxglove

Before I took this trip I could only identify bluebonnets, so I think I learned a lot about native plants. And it was neat to see example of gardens that use native plants and therefore don’t need to be watered as much.

Also, the Wildflower Center has the following information about this event coming up, which might be fun for families:

Nature Night: Plant Conservation

Friday, May 21, 2010, 6-9PM

• Hit the trails of the Wildflower Center and learn about rare and endangered plant species in Texas. We will explore hard to find plants, what makes them rare and endangered, lead you on habitat hikes and share programs that help you make a difference! $1 admission for non-members.

So check out the Wildflower Center – it’s an Austin treasure!